Mafé (Malian Peanut Beef Stew)
Malian Mafé is a slow-simmered beef, peanut, and tomato stew with soft vegetables and a thick groundnut sauce made for rice or couscous.
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1 hr 10 mintotal
30 min hands-on40 min hands-off
Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Includes browning the beef, slowly simmering it until tender, and reducing the peanut-tomato sauce until it coats the vegetables.
Method
Heat oil in a heavy pot. Add the beef and brown it lightly on all sides.
Add onion and garlic. Cook until the onion softens and the raw smell of garlic fades.
Stir in tomato puree, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and bay leaf. Cook until the tomato base thickens slightly.
Whisk the ground peanut paste with hot water until smooth, then pour it into the pot.
Cover and simmer until the beef begins to soften.
Add carrot, potato, and cabbage. Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.
Remove the bay leaf, adjust salt, and rest the stew for a few minutes before serving.
How to tell it's done
The sauce should be thick, creamy, and nutty, with tender beef and soft but intact vegetables.
Getting it right
Tip
Simmer peanut stews gently and stir often near the end; thick groundnut sauces can catch at the bottom.
What to serve it with
Serve with steamed rice, couscous, fonio, or boiled cassava.
Substitutions
- Goat meat can replace beef for another common West African version.
- Sweet potato can replace regular potato for a sweeter, softer stew.
- Use ground roasted peanuts instead of packaged peanut butter to keep the flavor cleaner and easier to control.
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